U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,110 discloses a refuse collection tool adapted to support refuse bags either vertically or horizontally. The device comprises a refuse bag supporting frame and a plurality of clamping members which secure the refuse bag into engagement with the frame. A plurality of legs are detachably secured to the frame for supporting the refuse bag in a vertical orientation. When the refuse bag is supported horizontally, the legs are detached from the frame with one of the legs being reattached to the frame in a different orientation to serve as a handle.
As will therefore be understood, the refuse collecting tool of the '110 patent incorporates numerous inherent problems. First, detaching and reattaching the legs of the device is awkward at best. Second, since two of the legs are detached when the device is used to support refuse bags horizontally, the opportunity exists for the detached legs to become lost or damaged. Third, the device is difficult to store since there is no convenient way of securing the detached legs to the frame to facilitate storage. Fourth, in actual practice it has been found that the clamping members which are used to secure refuse bags to the frame are difficult to engage and disengage. Fifth, since the clamping members must be removed in order to secure refuse bags to and remove refuse bags from the device, the possibility exists for the clamping members to become lost or damaged.
The present invention comprises a refuse bag supporting device which overcomes the foregoing and other problems which have long since characterized the prior art. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, a refuse bag supporting device comprises a bag receiving frame and a plurality of frame support members which are both retractable and pivotal to facilitate supporting refuse bags either vertically or horizontally and to facilitate storage. The invention further comprises a plurality of refuse bag attachment device which are easy to use and which are permanently secured to the frame of the refuse bag supporting device.